When Bondi announced the administration’s lawsuit against Maine last week, she warned that Minnesota and California could be next. The administration's lawsuit followed weeks of feuding between Trump and Democratic Gov. Janet Mill of Maine that led to a clash at the White House when she told Trump, “We’ll see you in court.”
The federal lawsuit asks the court to declare Trump's two executive orders on the matter — and letters that the Justice Department has sent to Minnesota threatening to cut off education funding if the state doesn't comply — unconstitutional and bar their enforcement.
The state's Democratic Gov. Tim Walz signed legislation in 2023 that would allow children from anywhere in the country to come to Minnesota for gender manipulation procedures.
The White House and Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
But the top Republican in state government, House Speaker Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring, backed Trump's position.
“It’s extremely disappointing that Attorney General Ellison would rather risk federal funding and file yet another taxpayer-funded lawsuit against the Trump administration than simply do the right thing and keep boys out of girls sports,” Demuth said in a statement. "It’s a waste of taxpayer money to further a political agenda that makes girls less safe and makes sports less fair.”
